005 [VIDEO]

[shorttempered]

[The video clicks on and the image of Mark comes on the screen. He’s visibly nervous, and you can just barely see he’s wringing his hands as he talks. It’s clear he doesn't want to say what he’s saying, but he’s just as determined to get through it.]

Um, hi. I know the network’s not super reliable right now, and that it’s not secure and all of that, but with everything that’s happened the last few weeks, I really don’t want to wait in the hopes this gets fixed to say what I need to say. And as for Never-Speak-His-Name, well… that’s sort of the point of what I want to say, so…

[Takes a deep breath, sits up straight, and stops fiddling with his hands.]

I know some of you aren’t going to understand why what I’m about to say is so difficult, but I’m sure there’s some of you that are. And for those of you that can’t—this… this is really big for me, okay? I’m breaking pretty much the cardinal rule where I come from. But I've thought about this a lot, and with everything that’s happened… I’ve realized that this rule is getting in the way of helping people, which is what the rule is trying to do in the first place.

What am I rambling about? I’m getting to my point, I promise.

[He pauses because he knows after this there’s no turning back.]

For those of you that don’t know me, my name is Mark Grayson. [Mark picks up his mask, which was sitting on his lap, and puts it over his head.] I’m also the superhero who goes by the name Invincible.

This is a big deal for me because where I come from your secret identity is everything. Your secret identity is what keeps the bad guys you fight at work from coming to your home and hurting your family. And that’s not hyperbole. I've had a super villain come to my house and hurt my mom and threaten my brother to get back at me. For something I didn't even do. My family might not be here, but I've made a lot of friends here and while a lot of them can protect themselves, some of them couldn't. Not from the likes of the people I’m used to fighting, anyway.

But now everything’s changed. It’s not just my friends in danger of getting hurt anymore. Everyone’s in danger. And that’s why I decided to come clean. So the long-winded way of getting to my point is this, and this goes out to everyone (well everyone but Never-Speak-His-Name): if you need me for anything, anything, come to me. I’m super strong, super-fast, can fly, and yes, I’m invincible. And I want to help any way I can. If you need me to be a messenger, I can be a messenger. If you need me to carry something heavy like your couch to a different room, I’ll carry it. Heck, if you need me to open a stuck jar, I’ll do it.

Everything got real with the explosions, I’ve realized that I haven’t been really helping people like I should. Stopping muggers isn’t going to cut it anymore. It’s time I took my responsibilities more seriously. My secret identity doesn’t matter anymore. The safety of Keeliai does.

So I mean it. If you need help, for anything, let me know. I’ve been told I make a really good pack mule, and I’m knowledgeable about construction. Unfortunately I don’t have superhearing, so if you want to get a hold of me you’re going to have to do it the old fashioned way.

…I’m sorry this was so long, but thanks for listening.

[Quickly turns it off before he rambles any more.]

Comments

[shorttempered]

Sort of, anyway. My dad and I put on the costumes to help people. At least he did before he left...

[fearlessherosheart]

Are costumes necessary?

[shorttempered]

Sort of? I mean you don't have to wear one if you don't want to, but for every superhero in my world there's at least two supervillains. And some of them won't hesitate to go after your family if they know who you are, because they're sick bastards like that. [He grits his teeth. He's mad just thinking about that again.]

[fearlessherosheart]

[considers this] Well, it is true that villains are inherently dishonorable sorts.

[shorttempered]

One of them attacked my mother and my baby brother. He broke her arm.

[fearlessherosheart]

Ah, and then what transpired?

[shorttempered]

I kicked his ass.

[More accurately... he thought he beat the guy to death.]

[fearlessherosheart]

[ She pauses, translating the slang ]

Excellent!

[shorttempered]

I'm going to bet you didn't have those kinds of problems though. You're lucky.

[fearlessherosheart]

Ah, well, I have some extended family, but they are capable of managing themselves.

[ Of course, Tazendra now is considering her last memories before she woke in the palace. ]

Though... I have had enemies attack my people to draw my attention. I am a baroness, you see.

[ Classism means Tazendra doesn't know how to say that some of those were people she was genuinely fond of, even if they were also her servants. Easier to frame it as those sworn to serve her, and receive protection in return. ]

[shorttempered]

Oh! Uh, should I be calling you anything fancy? Like, uh, your grace or something? In America, where I'm from we really don't have that so I'm not sure of the rules...

[fearlessherosheart]

'Your grace' would be for a duchess. 'My lady' or 'Your ladyship' would be permissible. Or simply, Baroness.

Though no one here seems to care of such things. But your land really has no nobility?

[Tazendra knew what a republic was, since the Dragaeran Empire occasionally became one for religious regions. But noble titles persisted through it. A government with a complete lack of nobility was alien to her.]

[shorttempered]

No, we have a democracy. Well, it's not a true democracy, but we call it that anyway. See, my country sort of started a war about 200 years ago to not have nobility... We were kind of mad at a King at the time.

[fearlessherosheart]

So a democracy is like a republic! But what happened to the nobles who lived two hundred years ago?

[shorttempered]

Yeah, we're more republic than democracy but we prefer the word democracy... because.

Well... they're dead because it was 200 years ago, but I'm pretty sure you mean at the time. There weren't a lot of nobles that I know of, at least none mentioned in history class, that actually lived in the country at the time. The country we were originally a part of was across the ocean, so they really didn't get involved. We didn't care what they did with themselves, so long as we could do whatever we wanted, you know?

[fearlessherosheart]

Ah, then you are like Elde Island and Greenare are, where I am from! Except also a republic!

[ And except for the fact both are islands right off the cost and still fight the occasional war with the Dragaeran Empire.]

Yes, two hundred years is a long time for your people.

[shorttempered]

I can't say I've heard of those, but sounds like it.

Well, for my Human side, anyway, yeah. Back then lifespans were like 40 years? I don't know exactly but it wasn't much. Now humans can live to about 100.

[fearlessherosheart]

How, human?

[And, nearly a year into her time here, Tazendra (finally) hits the linguistic oddity of her native tongue: that both groups on the planet Dragaera descended from H. sapiens use the Dragaeran word 'human' to refer to only themselves and not the other group. And Tazendra never learned that the 'Easterners' she spoke of used 'human' to mean 'us, not them' the same way she did.]

[shorttempered]

I, um... yes? [Isn't sure what she means by that.]

[fearlessherosheart]

But... I am human, and we are surely not the same species. You resemble those who dwell east of the Empire and they are not human either.

[Totally half-right and all wrong.]

[shorttempered]

Maybe it's an alternate world thing? Where I come from, humans look like me. Well, not exactly, but roughly me-shaped anyway. Hair, eyes, nose, mouth, walk on two legs...

[fearlessherosheart]

Well, yes, both humans and Easterners are like that. Even Serioli, if one is very generous. But Easterners are shorter and possess more hair, and are very short-lived, as you said your people were.

It is very confusing.

[shorttempered]

Tell me about it. My other side? Aliens from a distant planet, and they also look like humans. Only they apparently live thousands of years.

[fearlessherosheart]

Your manner of humans?

[Because Tazendra's people also live for thousands of years, but she's pretty certain they can't interbreed with Easterners.]

[shorttempered]

Yeah. The Humans on my world.